UFC Has Zero Interest in Fedor Emelianenko

The long drawn out saga of Fedor Emelianenko came to a close for UFC President Dana White quite some time ago, but every now and again the former Pride champion’s name still comes up.

There are a myriad of articles explaining how the UFC offered Emelianenko a pile of money to come fight for them a few years ago, how he and his management team at M-1 Global opted to not accept the deal, and how the Russian legend’s career changed dramatically after three consecutive losses.

More recently however, Emelianenko seems to have warmed to the idea of fighting for the UFC because he still wants to face the best competitors in the world, and right now they are all under contract to Zuffa.

“Of course, I want to compete at home, in front of my countrymen,” said Emelianenko recently in an interview with SportBox. “But at the moment, the strongest and most respected MMA organization is situated in America. It’s the UFC. Therefore, I have to go to the US in order to face the strongest opponents.”

Well if Emelianenko is open to the option, the UFC is not interested in him.

“Not even a little bit,” UFC President Dana White said when asked if they were looking into bringing Fedor in at this stage of the game. “That was a guy who was made an incredible offer, and they laughed at it. He ain’t laughing now.”

After Emelianenko’s three straight defeats, he has since reeled off two straight victories over Jeff Monson and Satoshi Ishii.

Currently, Emelianenko has no other fight scheduled on his docket, but there’s one thing for sure.

Bring him in on the cheap… lol or even get him into the TUF house like Kimbo had to do. That would be very humbling.

http://www.twitter.com/uncanny390 uncanny390

I agree. Have a whole washed up heavyweight season of TUF. Emelianenko, Sylvia, Arlovski, Rodriguez. Maybe Sobral can bulk up and get in there. Heck even Anthony Johnson’s fat a$$ might be able to.

smill0313

Lol, totally agree.

sc_fa59c872ec2e3c8e6c2306d54fc6de41

Kimbo wasn’t the number 1 Heavyweight fighter in the world for 10 years.

Kimbo didn’t beat 6 former UFC champions.

Kimbo doesn’t have the most top 10 wins of any heavyweight to ever compete in MMA.

Anyone who think’s the most humble man in the sport needs to be “humbled” by going on TUF is an idiot who I would imagine has only been a fan of MMA for a year or two.

The amount of “Fans” who disrespect a legend of Fedor’s caliber because a fight promoter who has never been in a fight say’s he sucks is ****ing disgusting.

bajafox

Fk him, he had a chance to face the best in the world and he opted to fight nobodies instead.

brianhussey

Oh please Dana … you know that is a money maker. I don’t care how washed up you think he is.

http://www.facebook.com/yannick.messaoud yannickmessaoud

Sucks to see a legend go down like this, still Fedor knew he could not stand with the UFC best, he did not want to lose and went to strikeforce, but SF heavyweights where not that bad either so he lost even so.

adam1848

I wonder if Fedor could still have an impact at 205? I just looked on Wiki and it says he is 6’0 and 233lbs…and he’s always been chubby. I’ve been thinking for years that he and Cro Cop needed to drop down. If only they had listened to me! (ha,ha)

TKD

What a joke. This ass clown is a waste of time. He was offered a huge payday from the UFC, turned it down, got his ass handed to him several times, and now wants in. Money getting tight, Fedor?

browill70

It seemed like a pissing match and now Dana White has the upper hand he’s gonna turn the screws to Fedor. I think another Fertitta intervention is in order…The UFC could make a fortune if Fedor fought in the main event of a UFC event.

dgs

I’m not a Dana White fan by any stretch of the imagination, but this time I agree with him. Fedor decided to act like a prima donna when he was on top and turned down an offer ANY MMA fighter would have taken. Someone forgot to tell Fedor, in the sport of MMA, you’re only as good as your last fight. Guess the guy or his management thought he was never going to lose?

Fedor, I would have loved to see you compete in the UFC HW division (even though I think much of the current HW competition in the UFC would crush him), and was incredibly frustrated when you turned them down. If, and that’s a big “if,” Dana ever reconsiders, you better be willing to fight for peanuts. Your days of commanding top money in the sport are over. Hindsight is 20/20…

lonniebatt

Hey man you are right Hindsight sure is 20/20 you can tell by the statement that he made all of those Russian’s know NOW that the ****** up…. I cant believe how they jumping up and down about the last couple fights that he WON because they sure make it sound like he reciently has down something remarkable… anything to justify his worth…LOL Fedor ‘WHO”

maddawgmar

I have mixed feelings about this. I wanted to see Fedor in the UFC as much as everyone. But the fact of the matter is Fedor wasn’t after money, guaranteed he didn’t get that much from Affliction or Strikeforce. The reason he went there is the contract allowed him to compete in Sambo competitions, he just won gold at the russian championships. The UFC doesn’t allow their fighters to compete in other contact sport competition while under contract. He didn’t want to be told what he is and isn’t allowed to do when not fighting. Back then there was places that had top competition. Not anymore. Where does he go, Bellator???

As much as I like Fedor and wish he was in the UFC. There is no point. UFC didn’t want him when he was schooling people, why would they want him now. Even if he went back then he wouldn’t gave fared too well. Maybe he wins a couple. Beats Couture, Brock would have never won a title, but he would have hit the same brick wall. He is at the end of his career. Say goodnight to the best HW if not Mixed Martial Artist ever.

johnnybooker

You, sir, are injecting facts and logic into the discussion concerning Fedor’s reasons for not coming to the UFC and they will not be tolerated. He was afraid to lose, afraid of the UFC, was a prima donna and a bona fide wuss.

But he does have some balls to suddenly think he can write his own ticket to get in…and Dana has got to love being in this position. I do agree he would sell Pvp’s though…and that might ultimately get him in…at least for 1 big one and then cut if he loses.

kjs69724

actually you are wrong. Toward the end Dana was so desperate to get him to fight he even said he would allow him to fight in Sambo. Strikeforce paid at least a million a fight and a percentage of the show he was on. It was M-1 who messed things up. All UFC did was throw money at them but M-1 demanded it be a co-promotion and that was the last stance UFC would not wilter on.

johnnybooker

Did not realize that! Thx for the heads up. I remember Aleksander saying all along it was Fedor’s management that was screwing the deal up, and using Fedor to further their own business ventures.

TKD

maddawgmar, where do you get your facts from? I am guessing you are about 9 years old with those statements. “UFC didn’t want him when he was schooling people, why would they want him now.” Seriously, WTF???

lonniebatt

Hey Madd you dont remember they WERE going to let him fight back home with his SAMBO events the reason that they turned down the UFC deal is because they wanted a linited partnership with the UFC written in the deal they werent willing to buy in… Check that out .. can you believe those arragont Russians… they thought he was worth that to the UFC at the time .. I am telling you they wanted a large percentage of gate sales and PPV’s freaking NUTs thats why Dana is so pissed off at those guys….

Triggerman99

The reason he didn’t want to sign wasn’t becasue he wouldn’t be able to compete in sambo. Sure, that may have been a sticking point, but that could’ve been worked out. The reason he didn’t want to sign was because he and his management wanted co-promoting rights with the UFC. They’re ridiculous for even asking for that. I know people want to say that it was his management’s fault, not his fault. But Fedor is part-owner of the management group. Ergo, it was him asking for it just as much as it was the other members.
The UFC wanted him. Bad. And they were willing to pay him ungodly money. But unless the UFC was willing to had him the keys to the f^@king place, he wasn’t gonna sign.
Dana made the right call, obviously.

Mario

Never say never

If Fedor wants in, let him in Dana

Leave the bull**** behind, start fresh.

mmachoman

Fedor has to rebuild himself & amass a winning streak against high-level competition before the UFC will even look at him.
Maybe he should try his luck in the [not so] Super Fight League in India.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001199721203 jonmendelsohn

If he can lose some weight, and get into really good shape, I would favor him going on The Ultimate Fighter, and being part of the next Heavyweight series in one year.

He looked liked crap in those 3 losses.

D-rail

Let’s face it, people still want to see Fedor fight in the UFC. Dana’s feelings are still hurt from being turned down, but Fedor is still marketable regardless. The Ferttitas are real Business men & should step in and bring him to the UFC. There should be only one condition though, that he only be allowed to fight at 205.
Potential match-ups:
Shogun
Rashad
Jon Jones
Machida
Maybe Rampage
Gustafsson
Dan Hendo rematch

http://www.facebook.com/joann.brumbaugh joannbrumbaugh

That’s Dana. He turned him down once, now it’s Dana’s turn. But as a businessman, maybe he should listen to my fellow poster D-Rail. Do not mix politics, personal feelings, etc. and sports.

Triggerman99

Fedor turned him down multiple times, not just once. Dana doesn’t want him now because he’s 2-3 in his last five fights. And it’s not a pretty, up-and-coming, has-potential-to-get-better 2-3, either. It’s an over-the-hill 2-3.
It’s not politics, it’s just smart.

bigwurm

hahaha now that fedor was exposed as a fraud he wants in. he had his chance but he htought he was bigger then the sport. and for you idiots above, he wouldnt make big ppv sell’s. He went to a 2nd tier league and got his ass handed to him. there is no reason for the UFC to bring his sorry ass in..ha ha at fedor for wanting in the UFC when its no longer an option. i think the only way he could get in is joining tough. But he wouldnt win that either..

johnnybooker

You can question the ability of the “now” Fedor, and with very good reason, show he is done. But if by fraud you mean was never good, well, you might be recent to this whole MMA game, or just never gave Pride the respect it (imo) deserved. But to say he wouldn’t sell Ppv’s…on what basis do you make such a contention? He might not sell the 2nd UFC Ppv he’s on if he loses the first…but the first one? That shows you’re either just a pure hater (and I’m a nut-hugger, no bones about it) or you’re not in tune with the global appetite for MMA. B/C Fedor the name still has drawing power…at least pre-1st UFC fight. After a loss, then he promises diminishing returns. Just keep it real bro…

Marvin8

It’s a pissing contest. Fedor won the first time. Dana won the second. Dana’s ego is too big to cut Fedor some slack. This kinda stuff will only get worse in the future as the UFC is the only game in town. No competition breeds oversized egos like Dana’s.

daddy250

TUF idea is so perfect. you should tweet dana white it and i bet you it will happen